by Lynn, R.
away from him and his protection. Diana was so accustomed to the order of races that Sellah did not have to direct the team’s path. The horse expertly guided them through the arena and up to one of the starting gates.
The other charioteers talked among themselves until they saw the blue team’s only rider pull up. They did not even let her get to her gate before they started spewing taunts.
Her heart beat rapidly, and she was sure by the way the men stared at her that they knew she was not Thaddius, or worse, a girl. But when the trumpets ceased to play and the magistrate began to speak, she knew the time had passed for the other drivers to make complaint about her to one of the officials. This was it. She was mere moments away from racing.
The magistrate raised the mappa cloth high above his head. The spectators yelled out the names of their favorite drivers. The circus was a waving sea of green and blue. And being at the center of all this on the sands of the circus was an experience Sellah could not find words to describe.
She clung tightly to the side of the cart and readied her knees for any sudden movement. As soon as the mappa touched the ground the gates would open and Diana would lead her into the unknown.
Tilting her helmet enough to see the magistrate through its crack, she watched as he opened his fingers, dropping a small simple cloth that would determine the rest of her life.
The sounds of the drivers’ shouts, the absence of noise from the crowd, and the steady breathing of her horses jumbled in her mind. She clung so strongly to the cart that her hands began to ache. Just as she was tempted to turn around,
to go back, the gates flung open and Diana pulled the team into the arena.
The carts beside her constantly threatened collision as their drivers aimed toward the center of the track. Sellah found the strength to pull herself forward and lean over the side of the cart, hoping her body would help secure her in place.
She watched the ground pass her by at record speeds and began to feel ill. Pulling her head back up was a greater effort than she had thought it would be.
Once she had managed, she noticed a wall at the end of the arena before the turn. It took up a good portion of the track and was built high of staked boulders. It had not been there the previous day— it must be one of Caligula’s barbarous additions.
The wall was positioned in such a way that it funnelled the chariots into its center, to an opening that was only wide enough for one cart to pass through. There was no way around the wall.
Sellah groaned in dismay as she came upon it. Green drivers flanked her chariot, and Diana constantly battled for position against their teams. Only one of the carts could pass through. The others would crash into the wall and become a target for the carts behind.
She struggled to maintain her grip on the cart. It was neck and neck between Sellah and Jiao. His whip continuously cracked down on his team as he pressed them on toward the opening. The space was growing ever smaller for two chariots to enter.
Her cart often rammed into Jiao’s sending up sparks and splinters of wood. The closer she got to the opening, Sellah
could tell that it was barely large enough for all four horses to pass through.
Diana pressed into the horse beside her, causing the team to push into Jiao’s team. This movement caused Jiao to lose temporary control of his cart and Diana took the opening to advance.
As they entered the wall the four horses slammed into each other, causing them to knock Diana into the side of a large boulder. She took a hard hit and stumbled. Sellah watched in fear as the future of the race would be determined if Diana fell. But the horse corrected herself and pushed on through the pain, pulling the others along with her.
Sellah screamed for joy as they pulled free from the wall and into the first turn.
She had watched Thaddius train the other drivers, and he was very firm about leaning into the turn, so even though it was against what felt natural, she leaned with the team as they pressed through.
They whipped around the corner in no time, and Sellah spotted another wall with the same funnel-like gate. This opening seemed even smaller than the one before. Diana would not be able to continue if she took another hit like the one she just had. Sellah had to think of something, anything she could do to help Diana. She turned to see Jiao exit the first wall; his horses had been fastened in such a way that they could enter one after another. Unlike Sellah’s horses which had been fastened in a line that made all four reach the gate at the same time.
It was an unusual way to tie the horses, and Sellah realized that Jiao must have known before the race that the wall would
be there. The fact that the greens were cheating pressed her onwards.
She widened her grip on the cart so she could turn to watch the other drivers, but as she did her hand brushed against her dagger, the one she had slammed into the side of the chariot while trying to intimidate Jiao. Instinctively, she knew what to do. Wrapping her fingers around it, she pulled it free and pulled her body over to the front of the chariot.
Clutching as tightly as she could to the side with her left arm, she leaned over the front and began cutting through the ropes that tied two of the four horses to the cart. Four horses would not be able to pass the next wall, and she had to protect Diana. With great effort she sawed away at the leather, careful not to look down at the ground as it passed her by for fear she would get dizzy and fall.
After a few moments the two horses were free and they pulled away from the team and ran against the flow of the chariots behind her. It took extra effort to push herself back onto her feet. Leaning over the side had bruised her ribs and her body ached from the whole race.
Compounding the problem of her pain, she could tell that losing the horses drastically slowed her chariot. But she had no other choice; Diana’s life was her only hope of winning.
Jiao pulled in front of her, waving as he passed. His team filed into a line as they moved through the opening in the wall with Sellah and Diana on their tail.
With each lap her feet grew more accustomed to the movements of the cart. She began to gain confidence and even on occasion release her hand from the chariot’s side. Diana worked twice as hard to keep up with the four-horse teams. But try as she might she and the other horse could not
gain enough speed to overtake Jiao. They were coming up to their last lap, and Sellah was in third position. Most of the drivers had crashed their carts into the wall. Only six green drivers and Sellah remained. The red sand line had been laid, and Sellah was desperate to get to it before Jiao.
“Hijah!” she screamed. Diana lowered her head and pushed through the exhaustion. Jiao was just a few feet ahead. The red sand line coming ever nearer.
She looked around for anything she could use to help her advance. When nothing was to be found, she screamed in frustration. And as she screamed, she looked up to watch Jiao pull his chariot across the red line before her. She had lost the race.
“No Sellah, you tried, and we thank you for that. But it is
over. We have lost. Let us not risk your life as well,” Simeon argued. “Why can I not race. We have another chance Simeon. Think this over!” Sellah was getting frustrated how he continued to argue with her. For her first race she placed third, with only two horses. She knew she could do better, but he wouldn’t let her try.
“Think about Diana. She has not recovered from yesterday.” He was hoping that Sellah’s love for the horse would persuade her not to participate in the final race.
“We are all tired! I know Diana can do this. She chose me for this. We must at least try for freedom!”
“You do not know the track. It is even more dangerous than the last,” Simeon claimed.
“Am I not the director of my own life? I will be the judge of that. Where is the final race?” she asked.
“The Coliseum, where the gladiators compete,” he explained.
Sellah stumbled backwards. She had feared that building her entire life. Even the thought of settin
g foot inside as a
spectator made her feel ill.
“The…the Coliseum,” she repeated.
“This is no joke Sellah,” he complained
Her hand found its way to her mouth as she pondered her predicament. How could she let fear stop her now?
“I will race Simeon.”
***
Sellah hesitated before she spoke the words of trepidation to her friend. “I am scared Accalia. I do not trust this arena. It feels as though it breathes death.” “It is not too late. We can return to the villa,” she half suggested half pleaded.
“And what of Barachius? How will we survive his rule?” Sellah watched Accalia pick at a loose piece of wood in the carriage as she thought about this dreaded prospect.
“We will not,” Accalia admitted as she hung her head. “I hate this, Sellah, because I can do nothing to help you.”
“But you are doing something! Your friendship means more to me than you will ever know.”
There was a knock at the door, and Sellah pulled back the curtain to peek out. Simeon paced back and forth. She quickly pulled on her helmet and opened the door.
“The race starts in ten minutes?” he said as he barged through. “Are you sure you want to go ahead with this?”
Sellah cocked her head and stared at him. “What do you think?”
“I think you may be more stubborn than me,” he half
laughed.
“Precisely.”
“Then it is time for you to get ready. Because this could be
the final race of the tournament, they want the drivers to be a
part of a procession first,” he explained. “I guess there is one
piece of good news. The winner of this arena also receives
one hundred denarii.”
“Such a sum of money!” Accalia gasped.
There was another knock at the door, but before they could
look to see who it was, Vettius spoke.
“It’s time.”
Sellah stood and straightened the blue tunic over her
robes, taking extra care to smooth out the Veneta emblem
over her chest. As Accalia and Simeon fastened her leather
armor she couldn’t help but grow in worry.
“How is Diana?” she finally asked.
“She is hitched to the chariot with the others,” Simeon half
answered.
Seeing that his son refused a proper reply to Sellah,
Vettius stepped in. “She is not fully recovered, but she gave
us no fight when fastening her. In fact, she was rather
helpful.”
“That is unusual,” Sellah exclaimed.
“It seems to me that you, my precious jewel, are not the
only martyr in our domus,” he laughed.
“Martyr?” she asked.
Vettius’s smile dropped. “Yes, you give up your heart’s
desire for the greater good of others. And in more than just
this tournament,” he purposefully let slip.
Sellah choked back his words. They were hard to receive.
Was Vettius right? Did she sacrifice what she truly wanted? All this talk of emotions was causing Sellah to look forward to the race. It would definitely take her mind off the thoughts Vettius had planted in it.
They escorted her to where Diana and the team was, and Sellah took a moment to greet each horse before returning to the cart.
“Please help me up,” Sellah whispered in case someone they did not know was nearby.
Vettius and Simeon took her by the arms and hoisted her up on the cart.
She found her familiar foot placement and wrapped the reins around her arm. Not wanting to draw out an unnecessary goodbye, Sellah gave one quick wave before leaving.
“Hijah!”
***
Large guards accompanied her cart around the arena as the spectators screamed and cheered for the last blue driver. It was her, Thaddius in their eyes, against the green. All drivers from the reds and whites had not made it through the last round. It truly was a battle of champions.
She gulped back fright as she looked over the guards’ swords. They were unlike any swords she had ever seen. The sides were hammered to be ridged. She hoped that these guards were merely for show and not another one of Caligula’s schemes.
Those who had previously supported the red and white team seemed to be dressed in blue. For the first time the blues outnumbered the greens, and it was a sight that made Sellah proud.
She wished Thaddius could have been there to see it. In order to keep up appearances, Sellah stood up straight and waved at the crowd. Thaddius loved feeding into their love for him by interacting with them. The women screamed and tossed articles down as gifts for Thaddius.
Sellah tried hard not to laugh as women’s underclothes landed in her cart. If only these women knew it was another girl they tried to seduce.
The crowd stomped and sung as one chorus. The sound of their song channelled down through the stadium and blasted into Sellah. It was the loudest, most eerie sound she had ever heard. As they made there way toward the starting gates, Sellah’s eyes caught the image of Castor and Pollux carved into the stone wall.
“Please deliver me from this,” she prayed. Diana pulled into their space at the gates, and the four horses rested their heads for a brief moment.
“I see you have decided to try your hand at four horses today,” Jiao taunted.
Sellah picked up her knife and shook it toward him as she shrugged her shoulders. Playing the proud, robust Thaddius was fun at times.
Despite her enjoyment of it, Jiao did not seemed pleased. He turned back to his team and started to discuss their strategy. Jiao had won two races, and Thaddius three. This was Jiao’s final chance to prove victorious. If he won this race, he would tie with the blues. And by Roman rules that
meant a race to the death. But he had the upper hand. Sellah had to compete on her own, whereas he had a whole team dedicated to keeping the blue chariot from finishing. The thought of Jiao’s advantage caused a lump to form in Sellah’s throat.
The trumpets sounded, and Sellah’s heart began to pound deep within her chest. Her time had come.
She closed her eyes and concentrated on Diana and the team. She tried to steady her breathing and match their pace. She was so focused that she had not realized the trumpets ceased to play or that the crowd stilled. But a small sound, a familiar sound met her ears. When she realized it was the gate latch, she screamed for her team to spring forward.
“Hijah!”
Diana and the others took off down the track. As far as Sellah could tell there were no obstacles. Seven laps, that was all she had to get through. Green drivers flanked her sides and tried to block her from advancing, but she did not fret. This had happened last race as well, and Diana had somehow found a way to press forward.
As she was nearing the first turn, the trumpets sounded. She was tempted to look about to see what was happening, but she did not want to lose focus.
A rain of arrows whizzed by her head. The chariot and horses to her left had been hit and collapsed under the pain.
One chariot started to roll, crushing the driver and taking out another green team.
“Hijah!” she screamed, pleading with the horses to speed up around the bend.
Jiao was just in front of her now, and once more the trumpets resounded. This time gates opened beside her and
herds of wild horses ran into the arena. Their presence spooked some of the horses, and they started to pull away from their drivers, trying to run with the herds. Others collided with chariots, forcing the drivers off their course.
Somehow Diana managed to work with the herds and use them as a means to plough the path before them. They followed after the horses as they came up behind Jiao. Diana kept this momentum for the next two laps, but despite the protection of the herd, she had not been able to pass Jiao.
As they were comi
ng into the turn for lap three, the trumpets once again blasted their harsh call. Sellah could not imagine what obstruction would come next.
Suddenly, doors around the arena flew open and large tigers charged the horses. Their chains kept them at a safe distance and the horses on the outside of the herd protected Sellah and her team.
As they continued around the track, chasing after Jiao, they managed to dodge the tigers and any rogue horses that ran against the grain. Every second that passed without the trumpets call made a knot grow larger in the pit of Sellah’s stomach. She was worried about what would come, so much so that she did not notice the way Diana began to breathe.
“Hijah!” she yelled, pushing them onwards.
She was now neck and neck with Jiao. The remnants of the herd managed to keep him from advancing. No doubt he
had fresh, well rested horses, whereas she was using ones that had raced the day before. They were coming upon the sixth turn, and Jiao took the corner tighter than needed, causing Sellah’s chariot to scrape against the wall. The wheel wobbled as she struggled to straighten out her cart, and some of the loose herd cut in
front, slowing her team. “Damn!” She tried frantically to regain her team’s speed. It was their final lap and she had to catch Jiao. She was so close. The trumpets resounded once more, the gates opened and with that came the releasing of ferocious felines, more horses, and worst of all, more arrows.
She crouched down trying to avoid being struck. Beside her a horse fell and caused a torrent of destruction behind as it took down many other horses.
It was a straight stretch and Jiao was just a few feet ahead of her.
“Hijah!” she called out once more.
Diana lowered her head and worked hard trying to take in enough air to power her legs forward. They were coming around the final turn, and Sellah knew this was her chance. If she did what Thaddius had taught, she should be able to gain ground on Jiao, just enough to pull ahead.